SD48 3 , CD3 DFL

Rep. Laurie Pryor (HD48A) Update: April 16, 2021

Neighbors,

We are saddened and angered by the death of another Black man at the hands of police. We should all be safe in our community no matter where we live or what we look like, and House DFLers have proposed solutions to help end this seemingly never-ending cycle of trauma. We are committed to keeping all Minnesotans safe by pursuing reforms to build on measures passed last summer to hold accountable those responsible for wrongdoing and keep bad officers off the streets.

Legislative Work Moves to House Floor

Committees are largely wrapped up and most of our legislative work is shifting to the House floor. This week and next, we are voting on our budget bills. After passage of the bills, the House and Senate will work out compromises and aim to pass the final budget before adjournment on May 17.

Sen. Steve Cwodzinski (SD48) Update: April 16, 2021

April 16, 2021

Policing Reform, Veterans Justice, and the Senate Judiciary Bill

In the aftermath of the death of Daunte Wright at the hands of law enforcement, and during the trial of Derek Chauvin, our state took up the Senate omnibus judiciary bill. Unfortunately, the bill lacked any fundamental reforms to our policing that could prevent future tragedies. A sad moment for me was when an amendment failed along party lines which would have prohibited law enforcement officers from affiliating with white supremacist organizations.

Additionally, amendments to create a task force on missing and murdered indigenous Minnesotans and to close loopholes in our hate crime laws also failed.

Sen. Steve Cwodzinski (SD48) Update: April 9, 2021

April 9. 2021

Important Notice About Emails

Late yesterday evening my colleagues and I were informed of a glitch with the Senate website that caused some emails to not go through between 8:30am on Friday, April 2 and 1pm on Thursday, April 8. The issue is now resolved, but the messages may not be retrievable. If you reached out during that time and did not receive a reply, please resend your message. I deeply apologize for the inconvenience.

Controversial Education Bill Moves Forward

On Wednesday in the Senate Education Committee we voted on this year’s omnibus education bill. I was disappointed to see vouchers included in this bill, as well as a lack of investment in the basic funding formula. Per-pupil state aid adjusted to inflation has failed to keep up with our need for almost the past 20 years. There was also a provision that discriminates against transgender students, and I cannot support that.

Rep. Laurie Pryor (HD48A) Update: April 9, 2021

Neighbors,

The legislature has returned from Easter/Passover break and we are continuing work on the two-year budget.

This week, the Early Childhood committee, which I serve as vice-chair, approved HF 2230, the Early Childhood Finance and Policy bill. Earlier, during our committee’s work, we learned about the scope and the severity of the crisis that exists in early care and education. The years from birth to five are critical for healthy growth and development and public investments are at the lowest during those years. We also know that parents are stretched thin to afford care and too many childcare workers are among the least paid professionals.

There are many challenges, but if our House Early Childhood budget bill becomes law, it will make a significant down payment toward the investments we need to support Minnesota’s youngest and their families.

Rep. Laurie Pryor (HD48A) Update: March 26, 2021

Neighbors,

House DFLers are focused on crafting a budget to reflect the values and priorities of Minnesotans. This week, we released our budget target framework aiming to build a state where everyone succeeds. Our budget invests in students, workers, families, and small businesses and as vice chair of the Early Childhood Committee, I am especially pleased we are boosting our investment to help our littlest learners. So many of our neighbors did not fare very well during the pandemic and our budget gives them the tools and support to recover and thrive.

Sen. Steve Cwodzinski (SD48) Update: March 26, 2021

March 26, 2021

Vaccine Availability

Governor Walz announced today that all Minnesotans age 16 and older will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination beginning Tuesday, March 30. This is great news, as this comes over one month ahead of schedule.

If you have not already, please sign up for the COVID-19 Vaccine Connector to get updates on vaccine opportunities near you. You can also contact your healthcare provider, local pharmacy, or use the Vaccine Locator Map to search for vaccine providers in your area.

Rep. Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn (HD48B) Update: March 16, 2021

Dear Neighbors,

We’re about halfway through this year’s legislative session, and as our work really starts to ramp up, I wanted to provide the opportunity to check in with you. Today, March 16, I’ll be joining Sen. Cwodzinski and Rep. Pryor for a Virtual Town Hall to provide an update on our work and answer your questions. We’ll be streaming on my Facebook page, and you can submit questions ahead of time here.

I hope you can join us!

Rep. Laurie Pryor (HD48A) Update: March 12, 2021

Neighbors,

You are invited to join Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn, Sen. Cwodzinski, and me next Tuesday, March 16 at 7 p.m. for a virtual town hall. We are now in the third month of the 2021 Legislative Session and we would like to hear your comments on the work ahead. Go to any of our Facebook pages to participate.

Click here to submit a question in advance.

I am still taking your feedback on issues that may be discussed this legislative session. Your priorities are important to me. Please take a moment to click on this link and complete my legislative survey. [You may note this survey was created prior to the February forecast announcement and question #4 doesn’t reflect the current $1.6 billion projected positive balance.

Sen. Steve Cwodzinski (SD48) Update: March 12, 20210

March 12, 2021

Stepping Up Vaccinations and Dialing Back Mitigations

On March 9th, Governor Walz announced that vaccine eligibility has been expanded 3 weeks ahead of schedule, due to 70% of seniors 65 years and older receiving the vaccine. This is an incredible accomplishment. You can find out where you fall in the distribution order by clicking HERE.

If you have not already, get registered with Minnesota’s Vaccine Connector by clicking HERE, to get notified on when a vaccine will be available for you.

And in additional news, this increase in vaccine deployment is also helping us dial back some COVID-19 mitigation measures. While school districts have already been empowered to return to in-person learning and all businesses are allowed to be open, we are now safely increasing capacity limits. Brighter days are on the horizon, and hopefully we can all see each other in the summer for an in-person town hall meeting. You can view the full details by clicking HERE.

Rep. Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn (HD48B) Update: March 5, 2021

Dear Neighbors,

Spring is in the air and we have big news! Last week, we received a clearer picture of when Minnesotans could receive their COVID-19 vaccines. The supply of vaccines is still far from meeting the demand in our state, and we’re not alone in that, but it looks as though we’re on track to meet our goal of vaccinating 70% of Minnesotans age 65 and older by the end of March. Once that goal is met, we’ll begin administering the vaccine to people with specific high-risk health conditions and targeted essential workers – adding more Minnesotans throughout the spring. Check the timeline to see when you or your loved ones may be eligible.

Whether you’re eligible to get the vaccines in a few weeks or a few months, be sure to sign up for the state’s Vaccine Connector.

Get Connected to Your COVID-19 Vaccine Image

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